I'm Human, I Swear Doctor POV
by Bookgeek890
Summary: Exactly what it says in the title. I'm Human, I Swear from the Doctor's point of view. Strongly recommend that you read I'm Human, I Swear first, up to at least chapter 7. Then the stories follow in parallel.
1. Regeneration

I had just regenerated. Boy, is that painful as always. I flicked a few switches on the console.

"6pm…..Tuesday…..October….5006…On the way to Barcelona! Now then….what do I look like?" Rose looked about ready to reply so I held up a hand to stop her. "No, no no, no no no no no no no. No. Don't tell me." That got a little smile out of her. "Let's see…" I look down. "Two legs, two arms, two hands…." I tested my wrist. "Slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle." I brought my hands to my head. "Hair! I'm not bald!" _This is fun._ "Oh, Oh! Big hair! Sideburns, I've got sideburns! Or really bad skin." I hope it's not bad skin. "Little bit thinner…..That's weird. Give me time, I'll get used to it." I straightened my back slightly and "I….have got….a mole. I can feel it. Between my shoulder blades, there's a mole." I rotate them around getting used to the idea. "That's alright. Love the mole." I look at Rose and grin. "Go on then, tell me. What do you think?"

"Who are you?" Rose asked.

My smile dropped. "I'm the Doctor."

She shook her head in denial. "No…. Where is he? Where's the Doctor? What have you done to him?"

I tried to explain myself. "You saw me, I, I, changed…" I pointed over to where I had regenerated."…Right in front of you."

"I saw him sort of explode, and then you replaced him, like a… a teleport or a transmat or a body swap or something." She took a few steps towards me and pushed me. "You're not fooling me. I've seen all sorts of things. Nano genes… Gelth… Slitheen…." _Really? Slitheen?_ "Oh, my God, are you a Slitheen?"

"I'm not a Slitheen." _Of all the things….._

She started shouting. "Send him back. I'm warning you; send the Doctor back right now!"

I pleaded with her. "Rose, it's me. Honestly, it's me." She stared at me. "I was dying. To save my own life I changed my body. Every single cell, but…. It's still me."

She whispered, "You can't be." _Closer to believing, just need a few more nudges._

I stepped closer and stared her down. "Then how could I remember this? Very first word I ever said to you. Trapped in that cellar. Surrounded by shop window dummies…..oh…such a long time ago. I took your hand…" I repeated my actions of my first encounter with Rose in my 9th body. "I said one word… just one word, I said… 'Run.'"

I could see in her eyes she believed me now. "Doctor?" She whispered.

I gently said "Hello" and grinned.

She stumbled back a bit

"And we never stopped, did we? All across the universe. Running, running, running…" I flicked a few switches. "One time we had to hop. Do you remember? Hopping for our lives." I jumped up and down. "Yeah? All that hopping? Remember hopping for your life? Yeah?! Hop? With the…" She did not look amused. "No?"

"Can you change back?"

"Do you want me to?" I managed to get out.

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"Can you?"

"No." _Is this the straw that breaks the camel's back? _"Do you want to leave?"

"Do you want me to leave?" At least she was shocked at the the thought of leaving. I quickly fixed the notion of me wanting her to leave.

"No! But…your choice….if you want to go home….." I changed the coordinates. "Cancel Barcelona. Change to…. London… the Powell Estate… ah… let's say the 24th of December." I looked at her. "Consider it a Christmas present." She slowly came towards the console. "There." I crossed my arms.

"I'm going home?"

"Up to you. Back to your mum… it's all waiting. Fish and chips, sausage and mash, beans on toast… no, Christmas! Turkey! Although… having met your mother… nut loaf would be more appropriate." That got a smile out of her, though she tried to hide it. "Was that a smile?"

"No."

I smirked. "That was a smile…"

"No, it wasn't."

"You smiled…" I teased.

"No, I didn't."

"Oh, come on, all I did was change, I didn't…." I felt the energy try to expel itself.

"What?"

"I said I didn't…." Again, I could feel the pains of a bad regeneration. _This is not good._ "Uh oh."

"Er….is you alright?" A bit of leftover regeneration energy escaped from my mouth. "What's that?"

"Oh… the change is going a bit wrong and all." I gagged as I fell to my knees.

"Look… maybe we should go back. Let's go and find Captain Jack, he'd know what to do."

_I will not go near that abomination._ "Gah, he's busy! He's got plenty to do rebuilding the Earth!" I spotted the accelerometer. "I haven't used this one in years." I pulled it and Sexy jolted as she sped up. I couldn't help myself. I had to land before Rose gets stuck trying to land.

"What're you doing?!"

"Putting on a bit of speed! That's it!" I turned more knobs, trying to drive as fast as I could. "My beautiful ship! Come on, faster! That's a girl! Faster! Wanna try to break the time limit?!"

"Stop it!"

"Ah, don't be so dull… let's have a bit of fun! Let's rip through that vortex!" I caught her eye and saw I was really scaring her. I tried to tone it down a bit. "The regeneration's going wrong. I can't stop myself." My head felt like it exploded as the pain reached all parts of my body. I grimaced. "Ah, my head…" _I need to land NOW!_ "Faster! Let's open those engines!" The warning bell went off.

"What's that?"

"We're gonna crash land!" I laughed. I hadn't had this much fun driving in years.

"Well then, do something!"

"Too late! Out of control!" I couldn't help but run around the console giggling. "Oh, I love it! Hot dawg!" _Never saying that again._

"You're gonna kill us!"

"Hold on tight, here we go!" Our eyes met across the console. "Christmas Eve…!" We crash landed and I walked out. "Here we are then, London. Earth. The Solar System. We did it." I saw Mickey and Jackie. I wrapped my arms around them. "Jackie. Mickey. Blimey! No, no, no, no, hold on. Wait there. I've got something to say. There's something I had to tell you, something important. What was it? No, hold on, hold on. Hold on, shush, shush, shush." _There's some human social thing….._ "Oh, I know! Merry Christmas!"

As I finally collapsed, I noticed someone on the way down. She had a darker, dirty blonde sort of hair that could easily be mistaken for brown, pale skin, and blue eyes. She looked a bit roughed up like she had been living in poorer conditions. As our eyes connected, I felt her try to mentally connect, but I shut it off before she could reach. I couldn't deal with that on top of a regeneration going bad. My eyes fell shut and I felt my body fall to the ground as I slipped into a healing coma. Before my brain shut down completely, I made a mental note to find that girl later.


	2. I'm No Longer Alone

I had just insured Harriet's fall out of power after her horrid display of human brutality when I noticed the girl again. She was looking up in horror at the ship as it exploded. I nudged Jackie, "Have you seen her before?"

"She looks familiar….oh, yes I have. She was playing a violin in the Pavilion a few days ago. She looked homeless, but she sounded brilliant. She was painfully shy and didn't speak much."

I nodded, mentally cataloguing it in the rapidly growing section that was dedicated to this one girl. She looked back over here, _so she did notice the TARDIS_, when we had eye contact again. Immediately, she created a bond I hadn't felt in centuries. I watched as she fell to her knees clutching her head. I ran over as I felt her panic and pain and the others followed me over.

"What's wrong with her?!" Rose asked

"She's not accepting the telepathic bond and is trying to reject it."

"What bond?!" Mickey asked.

"She subconsciously created a link with me, and now she's panicking and trying to reject it and its causing her pain."

"What?!"

I picked her up and gently sent a sleep command. I started walking back to the Powell Estate. Rose wanted to spend some time with her family and I didn't want to overwhelm this girl. I ignored the questions sent my way during the journey there. When we got there, I walked directly to Rose's room and gently laid her on the bed. Rose came in without Jackie and Mickey.

"Doctor, who is she?"

_There's only one answer that's possible. Only my species can do what she did._

"A Time Lord."

"I thought you were the last."

I was silent for a minute. _This is Rose. She deserves to know the basics at least. _"So did I. She's like a baby; she's too young to have a good grasp on our telepathy with each other. They make links with their parents and when they're older, around puberty, they would have spent enough time around other young Time Lords to have practiced with their telepathy and shielding their minds as their parents would have taught them. She hasn't been around Time Lords long enough to panic when her instincts take over. She might not have even known that she had the ability."

Rose was silent for a bit. "We are taking her, right?"

I whipped my head around. "Of course we are! I'm not leaving a young Time Tot to wander around and get herself into trouble and think she's going crazy when it seems like she isn't getting older for a century or so or when she starts feeling the movement of the Earth or accidently breaks something due to her strength!"

Rose smiled and I realized I had been duped. "I'm just glad you're taking this well," I sighed.

"I wouldn't leave a human toddler by themselves on an unfamiliar planet where they wouldn't have access to information about their species. Though the age thing is a bit weird."

"I just hope she knows she's a Time Lord. If she thinks she's human, we are going to have a rough time because as far as she would be concerned, she's a legal adult and should start thinking about settling down and getting a job when she's not. She won't be a 'legal' adult until she's at least a century old."

"Well, you figure it out and I'll go distract Mum and Mickey." She walked out and shut the door.

I just stood and stared at the miracle in front of me.

_I'm no longer alone._

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><p><strong>Thanks to those who have reviewed and favorited and followed.<strong>

**So this one won't be updated as much as Maura's as Maura is my own OC. Writing the Doctor even semi close to correct is really really hard. So be ready for an update about every 2 to 3 days instead of every day like I'm Human, I Swear.**

**And I don't own Doctor Who...sigh. Moffat, or Davies, if for some God-awful reason you are reading this...I don't suppose you could hook me up with meeting David Tennant, and Math Smith, and Peter Capaldi and going on set or even BEING in an episode - even if I just stand there and look pretty or die or I have like 2 second screen time, that would be freakin great.**


	3. SHES AWAKE!

_How did she get here? Why is she away from her parents? How long has it been since she's been near another Time Lord? How old is she? What story did she make up to tell the humans? How did she get here?_

These questions burned through my mind before finally, _finally_, I felt a mental twitch signaling that she was waking up. I quickly pulled out my sonic to make sure the bond was settled on her end – which thankfully, it was. I walked over and fell back into father mode; my hands moved on autopilot. And for the first time in a very long time, I spoke the language of my home.

"Hello. What is your name?"

"Maura. Maura Outisson." _There is no one with the last name of Outisson. In fact, if I remember human names correctly, Outisson translates to son of no one. She had to have picked it._

"How old are you Maura?"

"18" _So young….I wonder how well she knows whatever story she came up with….._

"What are you?"

"Human."_ How long has she had to say she was human to respond human even when asked the question in Gallifreyan?_

She opened her eyes and stared at me in shock. Just then, Rose walked in and saw she was awake. "Hi. You scared us good when you collapsed like that. Are you okay?" She nodded. "Are you hungry?" She nodded again and Rose looked like she wasn't sure what to do with the lack of verbal responses. "We grabbed your things when we carried you back, if you're wondering'." _How well does she even know English?_ "I hear you play well. Where'd ya learn?"

Jackie came in then and got started. "Is she awake yet? Oh, sweetheart, you're up! Do you want some tea and biscuits?" Maura shook her head no. I could feel her starting to get a bit overwhelmed, but I wanted to see how well she would react. "Scared the livin' daylights outta me, you did. I almost didn't recognize you at first until I saw your violin case. I couldn't possibly forget that wonderful music you played a couple of days ago." Maura blushed at that. _So she understands enough English to catch that._ "You're the talk of the town. No one has seen ya before and everyone is wonderin' where you come from…" I filed that in my brain as I felt Maura get more and more stressed. Just as I was about to send the humans out, Maura sent me a pleading look on her own. I gave Rose a look and she understood enough to drag Jackie out.

I walked behind them and shut the door on their way out. As I turned back around to face Maura, I heard a soft **_Oh, boy. What have I gotten myself into?_**

Quickly, I blocked out her thoughts as she probably didn't realize I could hear them and it's rude if it isn't a full blown emergency. Though if she shouts, I can't do much about that. Either way, time to start the questioning.

Softly, to not scare her as I remember being terrified of the other stuffy Lords who had already picked their name when I was young, I asked, "Right. Care to tell me how a young Time Tot managed to get here?"

**_WHAT?! _**"Um…..I'm sorry. You must be mistaken. I'm a human. I'm not a…a Time Tot."

Now I'm confused. _Why won't she admit it to me? _"Why do you keep saying your human?"

"…..Because I am?" _Maybe she wasn't old enough to learn how to recognize another Time Lord?_

"You sure about that? Because I've only heard you speak Gallifreyan, you have two hearts, and you tried to reach out to me through telepathy." I couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow. She reminded me of my kids when they were her age and would try to get away with a story. Unfortunately, my response made her even more stressed.

"I don't know Gallifreyan! I've only ever spoken English! Unless you count Latin in middle school and Spanish class from Freshman to Junior year! I only have one heart thank you and I don't have telepathy! I'm pretty sure I would notice if I did!" _She really thinks she's human…_

Trying to not startle her, I slowly approached and clearly said, "You spoke Gallifreyan just then. I've only spoken to you in Gallifreyan and you have been replying back." _Maybe if I can spark some earlier memories, she would remember. Showing her proof that she knows her first language fluently, even though she hasn't spoken it for long enough to not remember learning it, should do the trick._

"Uh, I'm speaking English. I've only ever spoken English. You are speaking English to me. That is not Gallifreyan." Apparently it has been long enough that her brain put it in the English folder….how to go about this…..

I poked my head out the door and called in English, "Rose, could you come here a sec?"

"Yeah," she shouted back. When she came in I told her to stand there and listen.

I switched back to Gallifreyan, "Do you agree that Rose – that's her over there – must know English and be able to recognize it?"

"Um, duh. She lives in Britain. She has to know English." Maura rolled her eyes.

"Then why can't she understand what we are saying now?" I turned to Rose and switched back to English. "Did you understand any of that?"

Rose shook her head and looked at me a bit confused. "No. Why isn't the TARDIS translating it? I thought it could translate any language, alien, or otherwise?"

"Yes, well. It is assumed that if you have a TARDIS, you would know your first language." I turned back to Maura and felt her shock. "Did you understand the exchange?" she nodded. I turned back to Rose. "Thanks, I just needed to prove a point," and I motioned her out of the room.

**_Why couldn't she understand me? IT WAS ENGLISH! I don't know Gallifreyan. I can't know Gallifreyan. The one person who knows it in the entire universe didn't teach it to me. They must be playing a prank. This can't be happening! _**I immediately grabbed her in a hug while she broke down. **_What is happening?_**

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><p><strong>Thanks to those who have reviewed, favorited, and followed.<strong>

**I don't own Doctor Who.**


	4. Questioning? Or Calming? One of the Two

I held her as she cried. I tried to send mental waves of comfort but it didn't seem to be working.

**_I'm human._**

_You're not._

**_I've always been human. I don't speak Gallifreyan or understand it._**

_Yes you do._

**_I only have one heart._**

_No you don't._

**_I don't have telepathy._**

_Then what have we been doing?_

I felt her recoil mentally and physically as her panic increased by ten-fold. Next thing I know, she has disappeared under the bed. I sighed as I got down on my knees to go after her. _I haven't had to do this for ages._ "Maura?" I called as I lifted the blankets to peek underneath. "Maura, what are you doing under there?" _How long has she been away if she is panicking this much?_

She was trembling so much the bed shook a bit. I tried to reach in for her but she crammed herself further back. Deciding to first get her out and then calm her further I grabbed my sonic for some light. I tugged a bit on the bond to make her more willing to listen. "Maura, looky hear." She looked up. "Like that, yes, look into my eyes." I waited until she complied. Eye contact makes it a whole lot easier to send waves of comfort that will have an effect when someone is panicking. "It's okay. You're okay." I could feel her calming down. _Now to get her out._ "Come here. It's safe to come out. Come on."

She started to move forward and I reached out my hand. She started to follow when I felt her fighting against coming out. Moving quickly, I latched onto her hand and with eye and skin contact, she had no choice in keeping calm enough to come out. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stop the tremors and tears. I moved back a bit to give her some space.

"Wh…Wher…..Where's my….st..stuff?" She choked out. She kept her eyes on the ground.

I started to maneuver myself so she would sit on the bed and not be able to go back under. "Jackie, Rose, and Mickey have it. They haven't gone through anything or taken anything."

"I..just..want…t..to go home." _Well, at least we are getting somewhere._

I moved in closer. "And where is home?"

She put her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. _Defensive maneuver. _"Kentucky. Good Ol' U S of A."

I sat next to her. "And how does one end up in London if they are supposed to be in America?" _How does one end up in America when they are supposed to be on Gallifrey?_ She didn't say anything so I started to gently press a bit. "Were you running away?" She buried her head and shook it for no. I scooted closer. "Did you get lost?" She nodded and I could feel how much she wanted to cry again but wasn't letting herself do so. My dad instincts kicked in and I started rubbing her back. "Did you try the Embassy?" _She had to have faked papers somehow or have psychic paper to get by. Or maybe she was adopted by a nice couple and they went on vacation here and by lucky chance she didn't make it on the return trip._

"Don't have my passport." She whispered. _So she's been here long enough to know she needs a passport. Adopted is looking more and more likely. And it would explain why she thinks she's human. Though I don't know why she thinks she has only one heart. She's had to have gone to a doctor at some point if she was adopted, even if only for a checkup, and they would have noticed her two hearts very quickly._

"They could still help you get in contact with someone."

"I didn't have anyone to contact." _Long enough to know she needs a passport, but not long enough to make some friends? Maybe not adopted then?_

"What about who you came over with?"

"I came over with no one." _First solo trip maybe? Or if she was adopted, maybe her guardians couldn't have afforded the trip for all of them._

"What about your parents?"

"They aren't here." _That can have multiple meanings._

"You could still call them."

"I have feeling it wouldn't work." _She's going to have to explain that comment at some point, but maybe when she's more comfortable with me and the situation._

I sighed a bit at her non answer and replied, "Maura, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

She ignored me and I decided that was enough for now. I got up. "Right, well it's been a long day, so I'll leave you to get some rest." I slowly walked out and shut the door. When I did, I could feel her let lose all the tears she had built up and it took all I had to not run back in and hold her. Finally, she fell asleep and I snuck back in. _I still can't believe I'm no longer alone, but she is one enigma._


	5. Thoughts

_I wonder if I knew her parents. I wonder if she ever started at the academy. How long has she been here on Earth? How did she even get to Earth? She seemed to genuinely believe that she was human. Did her parents lock it away? Did she forget about it herself? She seemed to recognize it a bit, so perhaps she lived so long as a human, she had forgotten. It's been long enough that she didn't know about the bond, so perhaps around 3-5. Early enough that she could have been persuaded that she was a human if she was separated from her parents. So many questions, but I don't want to scare her. I just found her!_

_Since she does believe that she is an adult human, I'll have to try to not fully treat her like she should be. I'll have to be very subtle. First, I should persuade her that she is, in fact, a Time Lord. Then, slowly incorporate myself in as an authority figure. Small rules to start perhaps? These adventures really can get dangerous, but at the same time are great learning experiences. I remember wanting to go on excursions when learning at the Academy instead of just reading those dry textbooks._

_How much does she even know? If she didn't even know that she was a Time Lord then she probably doesn't know anything else, which is unfortunate as I'm real curious on how she escaped the time lock. Was she treated well while not with her parents? Humans can be quite cruel and the systems in place for orphans don't always catch abuse as often as they should because there are too many to deal with. The older the kids get, the less likely they are to be adopted as well and more likely to float from foster home to foster home until they turn 18 from which they are expected to fend for themselves by then. Maybe she'll slip up a bit on her home life as she wasn't very forthcoming, especially about that worrying comment of how she believed she "had a feeling it wouldn't work" for calling her parents. Does that mean she doesn't know who they are or that they are dead? Or did they abandon her and she believed calling wouldn't work because they wouldn't help her? I'll have to make a mental note to come back to that later, but for now I'll assume she doesn't know who her real parents are._

_Speaking of her beliefs of being human, She thought "I can't know Gallifreyan. The one person who knows it in the entire universe didn't teach it to me." She couldn't have been talking about me, right? How could she know that? How could she know that and believe herself human? I'll have to think more on this._

_Moving on, or back, I guess, to schooling: if she doesn't know anything, then I'll have to work hard on remedial work until she is where she should be for her age. Then I could try keeping the pace and shorten schooling time to about 60-75 years depending on how well she takes it. I'll have to get back in practice with the telepathy and keep it toned down. She hasn't been in mental contact with someone long enough to panic when she connected again, so she will have absolutely no control and her mind will be more sensitive than a normal Time Tot's. She also won't be surrounded by others her age who are in the same development stage as her for telepathy, which will make learning properly even harder as I'm the only one she can practice with. It doesn't help that my mind is no place for a babe. Many memories would give her nightmares and I certainly don't want to have to try and explain the Time War. Not yet, not now. I don't think I could get through it._

_But what if she asks?_

_…..I suppose I'll say nothing of it until she asks or if she is of age. If she asks before she becomes of age, I guess I'll give no details and keep it vague and tell her when she is older._

_Rassilon, I hope she doesn't ask._

_….Maybe she could stay naïve for forever. No sadness, no heart-wrenching emotions from both when she finds out she is part of an endangered species. That she is a part of a species that was willing to allow the universe to be destroyed. That she is travelling with a murderer._

I could feel the tears starting to stream down my face.

_How could I tell her of what I did and have her stay? How could she not look at me with disgust and how could I not be able to do anything but watch as she runs far from me? How could she be able to live with a monster who watched as he heard 2.47 billion children scream as they burned with the planet?_

_How could she ever forgive me?_

_No, I'll not tell her until I must. And then I'll deal with her reactions as they come. Never cruel nor cowardly. Never give in. Never give up._

_I'll tell her when the time comes and then forever work on winning her back. On earning forgiveness._

This thought filled my head as I fell into a light doze.

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><p><strong>Now I'm depressed. And happy. Finals are over! And I have A's and B's! But still, writing this was super depressing and I didn't even mean for it to go that way. It just happened. I tried to get into his mind and it was like the floodgates opened. My mom's been looking at me strangely and keeps asking me if I'm okay and I'm just like: No. No I'm not okay. The Doctor- of which then she was like: Okay, okay. I get it. 10 is making you sad. Of which I'm then like: You pay attention to my rants...since when?<strong>

**But enough of that. Because 10 is still my favorite and David Tennant, if you are actually reading this, you have no idea how much you made me cry harder when you added that one stinking line!**

**Right...I was doing something...oh! I don't own Doctor Who. Have fun with the feels!**


	6. SHE'S COMING WITH!

The door creaking open woke me up, but I didn't move. I wanted to see what she did. I heard her walk out and walk down the hall. I slowly got up and couldn't help but overhear **_Right, so food, English, and then deal with Lord Doctor._**

_If she doesn't know about Time Lords, then how does she know about what to call me? I never told her my title. Just another thing to add to the mystery._

I heard her rustling around in the kitchen and stayed in the hall near the room. When she was done eating, she walked to the living room, I would assume as I heard her going through a bag. Soon, she sat and I heard the scratching of a pencil on paper. Once she got pretty into it, I decided to show myself. I walked forward a bit and leaned on the wall as if I had been watching for a while just as she looked up.

She gave me a cute little "how dare you" glare, but went back to writing. Since she had already seen me, I decided there was no point in waiting in the hall. I walked in and sat across from her. I peaked at her journal, curiously.

"What'cha writing?"

"Stuff."

"That's not much of an answer."

"Well, that's the best you're gonna get."

I huffed a bit at that. _At least she isn't crying and is offering real conversation now. _"Are you hungry?" _Because we can't have her thinking I don't care slash that I was awake when she got up._

"I already ate."

"When did you eat?" _She couldn't have had an actual breakfast - more like a snack - with how long I heard her in the kitchen._

"An hour and a half ago while you were snoozin'."

_"Snoozin'?" oh yeah, she grew up in America to butcher the word that badly with that accent._ "What did you eat?"

"Bread and butter." _That's a snack, not breakfast._

"That's not much of a meal."

She rolled her eyes. "It does the job."

"That's still not much." _How long was she on the streets to be used to such a small meal?_

"Look, I'm no stranger to having small meals. It's fine." She looked up at that, then realized she had given a bit more information than she planned, looked back down again.

_Shy. Definitely shy. Had to have been bullied at some point to be that meek and defensive, though she has some spirit in her as she looked up when she was getting annoyed. And she has been on the streets long enough to be used to the hunger or she was used to it before and it was nothing new._

She continued writing and I got a bit lost in my thoughts while processing the new data about her. Rose walked in and looked a bit surprised that Maura was up. Makes sense, as Maura was out for a bit and, technically, should still be fairly tired.

"Hi. I'm Rose. We didn't have much of a good introduction yesterday." I couldn't help but look over at Maura for her response.

"I'm Maura." She looked and sounded like she should be holding onto someone's leg and be peaking around it. _Can speak English fluently, wonder why she didn't notice when she switched to Gallifreyan. Perhaps she does it unconsciously? She understands it and can speak it, but believes it to be English because she believes English is the only language she knows._

"Mum was telling me about you playing in the pavilion. Were you doing it for fun or…" Rose seemed to get uncomfortable at mentioning homelessness. _Humans._

"I enjoy it, yes, but I did need the money. I was living on the streets before I got enough money for a violin. It's easier for me to obtain money that way as I've played for around 9 years now. I have a nice set of pieces in my playlist up her." She tapped the side of her head.

_So, at least 9 years on Earth as she wouldn't have learned how to play a violin back on Gallifrey or really anywhere else. She has started some kind of organization system for her mind it seems and she quite enjoys music if she has a mental playlist going at all times. So some instincts kicked in._

Rose got a bit wide-eyed. "What about your parents? Didn't you have somewhere to go?"

Maura shook her head. "It's fine Rose. Nothing bad happened. I usually had enough money at the end of the day for a night at a cheap hotel if I budgeted myself. I only spent 4 nights actually sleeping on the streets. It really isn't as bad as you think."

_Still not elaborating about a place to go and parents. Actually, she just admitted about not having a place to go. At least a week on the streets from body language while mentioning the streets. Smart girl too, used her head and didn't panic. She has to have some kind of plans in place._

I quickly interjected, but in Gallifreyan. I wanted to see if she switched over. "So what are your plans now?"

"I was planning on doing what I was until I have enough to rent of buy a place." _She did switch. She has to be doing it subconsciously. But still, I can't leave a Tot out in the cold. What kind of Time Lord would I be if I did that? Especially to one that bonded with me?_

I quickly shook my head in response. "No, I cannot in good conscious leave a young Time Tot in the streets to fend for herself."

She was quick to reply, "I told you I'm not a Time Tot!"

I rolled my eyes. _You can't deny it forever._ "At the very least, you could come live with us. You would be off the streets and be guaranteed a safe, warm place to sleep and a meal."

"And how do I know you aren't serial killers or…or something?" _Cautious….to a point. She hasn't run out screaming, which she would if she was as cautious as she is trying to sound. So, perhaps not cautious, just trying to delay the inevitable with whatever excuses she can come up with._

"Ah, good point. But aren't you the least bit curious?" She looked at me, like really looked at me and I could hear the thoughts churning through her mind a mile a minute but I didn't listen in. I wanted her to make the decision without me manipulating her into it. Despite my efforts, I couldn't help but overhear **_And I _****was****_ really curious. *sigh,* my curiosity is really going to get me into trouble one day and I might not be able to get myself out of it._**_ Even she admits it. I can use that to my advantage._

"Alright." _She is coming! _I couldn't help but grin. "On a few conditions." My grin fell a bit. "1. I get to bring my stuff and no one goes through it ever. 2. No prying unless it is life or death. If I tell you, I tell you; if I don't, I don't. And 3. Prove to me I am this…..Time Tot creature you keep claiming I am and I'll not mention being human again. Deal?"

_No prying unless life or death. There is a back story there. 1 shows a fierce need for privacy and definitely another back story related to that too. Perhaps it is linked with 2? 3 is the easiest, but if she doesn't open up, it'll eat at her. But if this is what gets her to stay with me so be it. Life or death includes her life too._

I nod in consent. "I can live with that."

"Okay, then. I'll live with you for now."

Hearing that, my grin grew really big and _Oh Rassilon, I'm no longer alone and she wants to willing live with me. _And I may or may not have hugged her. A lot.

Rose spoke up then. "What's got you all happy?"

**_OMG, SERIOUSLY! WE WERE JUST SPEAKING ENGLISH! SHE WAS RIGHT THERE THE WHOLE TIME! WTF?!_**

Hearing her cuss, even if it was mental and she didn't know I could hear, I couldn't help but fall back into old habits and give her my infamous - among my kids - **Look**. I've spent years perfecting it.

I turned back to Rose and answered her question. "We have a new passenger."

Rose smiled at Maura, "Well, you can go introduce her while I get Mum up to say goodbye and then we can head off."

I turned to Maura. "Grab your things and follow me. We can head over now and get you settled in and fulfill your third condition."

She hurried to put on her coat, bag and grab her violin. _Raggedy old thing, that coat, but her bag is new and so is her other clothes. There must be a sentimental reason on why she keeps it. From what I've seen she could easily get a better one._ We headed out after I grabbed her hand. I kept talking the whole time to keep from reading her thoughts.

"Oh, you'll love Old Girl and I'm sure she'll love you. I wonder what your room will look like. Maybe pink with purple swirls." The moment I mentioned pink, I got a wave a disgust from her. "Or not. What about Deep Blue Ocean themed with an aquarium. Or…"

**_Oh boy, this is going to be a long day._**

_Oh yes, yes it is._

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited. I'm going to try to get this one up to where I'm Human, I swear is and then I'll update that one. Then, chapters will be posted in tangent with one another.<strong>

**Still don't own Doctor Who. However, if you're curious go to google maps and look up 236 Earls Court Road W.8 London, England and look for a blue box and go try to go inside.**


	7. Congratz, It's a Time Lord

I quickly dragged her to the TARDIS and turned back to turn with a grin. "Here is where you'll be living."

"….It's a box." She looked a bit uneasy, but not skeptical.

"Yes it is."

"You live in a box….." _Statement, not a question. More to add to her mental file…..which is quickly turning into a filing cabinet at this rate._

"Weeeeellllllll, not just any box. Go on. Go on in." I opened the doors and shooed her inside. I loved the awe emanating from her before she set her stuff down and calmly walked out to scrutinize the outside. I couldn't help but feel amusement as she walked back in only to pop her head back out.

She sort of nodded to herself and I prepared myself to hear my favorite words when, "Okay, dimensception, but…cool."

My jaw dropped a bit. "No bigger on the inside?"

She shrugged. _I'm disappointed and she just shrugs. _"I assumed you have probably heard it multiple times and would appreciate a variant in answer."

I shook my head in amusement. _Oh, she's going to be a handful. Quiet, but able to roll with the punches and thinks outside of the box. That mixed with curiosity means I'll have to keep one eye on her at all times….two if I can wrangle it._ "Right, well we can find you a room to put your things before heading to med-bay to fulfill condition 3. If you head down that hallway, take 2 rights, a left, the second left, and the 7th right, you can have any room that is unlocked down that hallway. When you are done, follow the orange streams."

She headed off and I went to med-bay to prep a few things before she got there. Along the way I noticed Sexy had lead her closer to where my room was. In fact, it was right next door. _Smart girl._ I sent to her. As I made it to my destination and started piling the necessary items on a tray, my thoughts then drifted to curiosity on what her room looked like. What Sexy decides to do for each guest says a lot about who they are as a person and I wanted to see what she had to say about Maura.

After a bit of fiddling, I felt the bond grow stronger as she got closer. With each step near, her nervousness grew before I felt it jump into almost terror as she paused outside the door.

**_This is it. The moment of truth - for the question of my species that is, not that it's difficult to tell._**

I could feel her steel herself and walk in. I looked up and smiled in an attempt to put her at ease. "Great, come on over here. Like your room?"

That got a grin out of her. Now I'm even more curious about it.

"I love it. It's amazing." She gushed as I motioned for her to sit on the bed. She complied while asking, "So what does this all entail?"

"Well, I figured a DNA test would be the best and depending on the results and how much you believe them we could go from there." I held up the needle and immediately her terror increased again.

She shakingly held out her arm and looked away. I grabbed it and rubbed circles into her wrist and tried to send calm through the bond while I tied a band on her bicep and rubbed alcohol on the crook. She slowly calmed down and I picked up the needle. I felt her pulse jump in anticipation and did my best to do the whole thing quickly with no pain to her. It was over within a minute and I picked up a dermal generator to heal the small bruise and the break in the skin, which was when she got the courage to look up. I smiled as I finished and she grimaced back. I grabbed the vial and slid it into the slot I had prepared to analyze the sample. I turned on the corresponding screen and explained, "Here is where the results will appear." After a few seconds they showed.

**Time Lord**

Her panic increased as her voice caught. "I….I can't be. I-It must be lying."

_Still in denial._ I walked forward and grabbed her hands and placed them so she could feel both of her hearts. "Do you feel that?" I knew she could when I felt her shock.

**_Two hearts._**

**_But I didn't have two hearts before. How could this have happened? One doesn't just go around randomly changing species on whim?!_**

She teared up and I held her in my lap as she broke down once more. I whispered nonsensical words of comfort until my shirt was no longer getting wet.

We sat in silence until, "What does this mean now?" was mumbled into my shirt.

"That you're welcome to stay with me for as long as you like. If you want, I can teach you about your heritage. We could also try finding out what happened to your parents. And I also suppose I should probably tell you this now and get it out of the way.

"Maura, you have been treated like a young adult because that is what humans would have believed you to be. In reality, you're not a young adult. Time Lords live for thousands of years. And 18 years old, in Earth years that is, is considered to be the equivalent of a 3 year old in human terms. I will try to make adjustments in how I treat you but please don't snap at me if you feel like I'm babying you.

"Now, any questions yet or is it still a bit too much?" I could sense she was bursting with them, but I wanted to give her a chance to hide for a bit if she wanted to.

"How old are you then?" She whispered.

"A lot older than you."

"That's not much of an answer."

I debated on which age I should tell her before deciding it didn't really matter as she would see me as old no matter what. "900."

"Meaning you're ancient." I could feel her smirk. _Oh yes, definitely a handful._

"No, you're just an infant." I retorted.

"Before, you mentioned me trying to reach out telepathically." _Did I? Oh, yeah. Whoops. I was hoping to hold this off till later. I just got her, I don't want her to hate me for something I can't control. But I don't want to lie or not answer her question. She does need to know and if she thinks I'm withholding information…._

"Yes, Time Lords are touch telepaths but we don't need to be touching other Time Lords to communicate. Most Time Tots have a special bond with their parents from an early age. They instinctively reach out and make the connection. If, for some reason, the connection is severed before puberty, they will reach out to whomever their minds deem a suitable parent or guardian. By law, if a young Time Lord connects with you, you can't turn them away."

"….the only Time Lord nearby was you." I gripped her tighter as she put the pieces together. "What does it entail?"

"Maura, we don't have to-"

"What does it entail?"

I was silent for a moment before I sighed in defeat. "I know when something is wrong no matter how far you are from me. If you are projecting your thoughts, I can hear them though I tried to block them out when you were doing so earlier as you didn't realize at the time that I could hear them." I felt her freeze at that. "It causes my instincts to recognize you as my child and to treat you as such whether or not you are mine biologically. I can also pick up on your mental and emotional state. And how are you doing so far?"

"Fine." _Liar._

"Maura, I know you are not fine so don't try and persuade me you are."

"….I don't know how I'm doing."

"It's okay to be confused."

"Why did I pass out?"

"I think you hadn't been around another Time Lord for so long that you panicked a bit and tried to stop the connection process." I could feel her working hard at blocking her thoughts about that. I wonder why.

"So we have two hearts and are telepathic. Anything else of note?"

"Welllll, at some point you're going to start noticing your Time Sense. We have a little trick for cheating death. We are tougher than humans and have better senses. We don't need to sleep as much." _Full grown Time Lords, that is._ "We have lower body temperatures, more complex brains, 2 more ribs and darker blood than humans. We also have a respiratory bypass, another liver, and a few other organs humans don't. Our DNA is also a triple helix." _That's enough biology for now. She really doesn't need to know about the others and might as well have a back-up plan in case it's necessary._

We sat in silence while she took it in and I could feel her getting more and more stressed the longer we sat, so I decided that that was enough for today. "Right, well why don't we take you back to your room and you can have time to process and take a short nap and then when Rose gets back, we can head off. Sound good."

Nodding gratefully, she moved to get up but I quickly grabbed her up. Might as well start getting her into the proper mindset.

**_I'm not a child!_**

"Yes you are."

**_I can walk._**

"Yes, you can."

**_That was an attempt at getting you to see that you don't have to carry me._**

"True, I don't have to."

**_Great, so you can-_**

"Humor me."

She huffed, but she stopped protesting mentally and physically. I walked to her room and walked in. It was gorgeous. I was definitely going to have to sneak in and look closer, but I didn't want her to know I was snooping around. "When you're ready, just follow the orange lights again and Old Girl will lead you to me."

She nodded in understanding and I left to allow her time to process. I walked up to the console and waited for Rose.

_This will be fun to explain._

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to those who reviewed, favorited, and followed.<strong>

**I don't own Doctor Who.**


	8. Rose

I waited for a bit and felt Maura's emotions rage through an inferno. They cycled from panic to confusion to anger to fear to acceptance before cycling back again. Occasionally excitement found its way into the tornado, but it was mainly dominated by panic. It took all I had to not run back in. She had to work through it herself and I couldn't run in every time something was wrong. Though if it doesn't die down within a few days, we will be having a talk.

After some time, Rose found her way back to the TARDIS. I heard her say goodbye to her mother and she walked in with her tongue-in-cheek grin. She saw me and took a glance around. "Where's Maura?"

"In her room."

"And the verdict was?"

I hesitated. "Time Lord."

She seemed as if she already knew the answer. "And now you are no longer the last."

I just glanced down. "You…you still want to come right?"

"Do you want me too?" She seemed sad.

"Yeah, but if you don't-"

"It's just – I thought with a kid to look after now, you wouldn't want me anymore."

I looked up quickly at that. "No! No, you are welcome here for as long as you want."

She smiled in relief. "Yes Doctor, I want to come."

I smiled back. "Great. Great..."

"So what does it mean, now that Maura is here? You said she was the equivalent of a toddler?"

I nodded. "Yes, but she doesn't see herself as one. If she had grown up with other Time Lords, she would but she grew up believing herself to be human and 18 for a human is legally an adult. It's that awkward age where you see yourself as an adult and people are beginning to treat you as one, but you still have some dependency on your parents. That is where she believes herself to be and she is nowhere near that age."

"So like I said, what does that mean?" She seemed curious.

"Be prepared for lots of boundary pushing. Possibly some tantrums, though she would never admit that that's what they would be. Right now she is skittish, but as she warms-up to us and the situation, I expect she'll be a handful. Also, our adventures can get quite dangerous so there might be times where I'll have to keep her safe in the TARDIS while we deal with whatever it is. Occasionally, I might ask you to stay with her."

"Babysitting a Time Lord." She seemed amused at that, but I couldn't figure out why.

"Warning in advance, they are called the terrible teens for a reason."

We stood in silence for a bit before Rose tentatively asked, "Were you a father? Before?"

All I could do is nod.

"So you know what to expect at least."

All I could manage was a small half-smile.

"I mean, even though she thinks that she's more mature than she is, you can guess how she is going to react and can use your experience to help you out."

"But this is different." I protested.

"No, not really. You'll have to change a few things in how you treat her, at least at first, and once you've managed to have her accept you as an authority figure it should be fairly easy from there. Like riding a bike."

I just started at Rose in shock. _That is what I came up with, but how did she…..?_ "How did you come up with that?"

She shifted a bit uncomfortably. "A few floors down, there is this nice woman who took in a trouble kid. He was 7 and had been abused. One of the things that had been done was rule-changing so as a survival technique, he ignored any and all rules as they were liable to change in a heartbeat. So when he came to her, he did the same. He didn't understand or accept that she wouldn't do the same and that the rules existed for his safety, not as a tool in torturing him. So she had to slowly put the boundaries in place and gain his trust along the way before she managed to have all the same rules any other normal kid would have and he followed them. I just figured, it would kind of be the same. She is in the mindset of not having to follow all of your rules because even if you are an authority figure, she sees your rules as more like – guidelines because that's what your parents rules are around that age. Yes, there are a few that you must follow because you still live in their house, but the rest are more like guidelines and advice. So you would have to slowly tighten the noose until she is back in the proper mindset. If that makes any sense."

"Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. It's just, I couldn't figure out what you had to base off of, as that was what I had pretty much come up with, but yes. I will have quite a time of slowly adding rules. It will help if we sort of treat a bit like a toddler, though we have to be careful with how much. If she starts to feel stifled, boundary testing will come a lot earlier than we might want it too and could happen in the middle of an adventure which would be really dangerous. We know that it can get dangerous and we know how to handle ourselves, but she doesn't."

"Right, so more hand holding than normal, but not much."

I could feel the bond getting stronger. "She's coming now." I could feel her exhaustion creeping in. _She didn't take a nap._

"How can you tell?"

"Parent bond. Tells me emotional, physical, and mental state. Can be very handy at times, but-" Just then, Maura walked in. I turned to her with a hint of disapproval in my eyes for not taking a nap like I said, but she would figure out pretty quickly that she should have listened. _Some lessons are better learned through experience. Might as well go ahead and lay some basic rules down now._ "I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but this is the TARDIS, Time and Relative Dimension in Space. She can go anywhere and anywhen. We, Roe and I that is, travel around and go on adventures. You are welcome to come along, provided you follow a few base rules."

**_And so it starts._**

"And before you start up, Rose has to follow them too. Right, the biggest and most important rule is no wandering off. We'll be in different time periods and dealing with alien species that have a culture you won't know enough about to safely get by. Also, things can get dangerous at times and it's just easier for everyone involved if you stick to me like glue. Understand?"

She nodded. **_Oh, I understand._**

"Great. Ready?" Maura nodded in answer to my question. "Off we go!" I shouted as I drove. She grabbed hold of a rail while Rose held onto the console. We landed and Maura glanced at the door. **_Did we really-_** Rose and I could help but smile at her disbelief.

"Go on then," Rose encourage. "Beginner's privilege."

Maura walked to the doors and turned back to look at us with a bit of apprehension, but we waved her on. She managed to get the courage to open the doors and she stepped out.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited. Sorry for the delay, I had last minute Christmas shopping to do...and I may or may not have been watching the Doctor Who marathons on BBC America. It wasn't me! I didn't get distracted at all!<strong>

**And I don't own Doctor Who.**


	9. New Earth

She stood there in shock as she looked around at our destination. Rose and I shared a glance before we looped our arms with hers and kept walking, forcing Maura to keep up.

"It's the year five billion and twenty three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth."

"That's just. That's just." Rose smiled.

"Not bad. Not bad at all."

"That's amazing. I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet, different sky. What's that smell?"

"Apple grass."

"Apple grass." Rose mimicked with a bit of disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah."

"It's beautiful. Oh, I love this. Can I just say, Travelling with you, I love it."

"Me too. Come on." I dragged both of them to a spot to lay down. Maura had been really quiet so far and she was in a bit of a daze. I laid my coat down and Rose and I situated Maura in between us. I looked at Maura. "How you doing so far?"

She stared up at the sky. "It's…It's so….." **_mind blowing._**

Rose looked at her with a knowing smile.

Maura continued. "It's just…different time, different world across the universe, and yet there are still so many similarities. There's still people with families and jobs and art and music and teens trying to find their place while the older generation shakes their head at them. It's just….." **_surreal._**

We laid there for a bit. _That was pretty wise for a youngster. What has she seen to gain it?_

Rose piped up then. "What's the city called?"

"New, New York."

"Oh, come on."

"It is. It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." Rose was looking at me weird. "What?"

"You're so different."

"New New Doctor."

**_New New New New New New New New New Doctor, you mean._**

I glanced at Maura, _How could she have known that?_

"Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Well, I thought we might go there first," I pointed over to the hospital.

"Why, what is it?"

"Some sort of hospital. Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this. A message on the psychic paper." I showed them the message. "Someone wants to see me." _I wonder who._

"Well come on then." Rose said and we grabbed Maura between us once more as we walked in the front door.

"I don't like hospitals." I commented, memories flashing back to earlier regenerations.

"Bit rich coming from you." Rose snorted.

"I can't help it. I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps."

Someone came on over the intercom. "The pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted."

"Very smart. Not exactly NHS." Rose commented.

**_What's NHS?_**

"No shop. I like a little shop." I said after glancing around a bit.

"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything."

"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war."

Just then, some nurses walked by. Rose stared in shock and so did Maura.

"They're cats." Rose said.

"Now, don't stare. Think what you look like to them, all pink and yellow." I saw a great place for a shop when glancing back over to Rose. I pointed to it. "That's where I'd put the shop. Right there." I grabbed Maura's hand and power walked into the elevator. "Ward 26, thanks!"

The doors started to close as Rose rushed forward shouting, "Hold on! Hold on!"

"Oh, too late. We're going up." I shouted once the doors closed.

"It's alright, there's another lift." Rose shouted back.

"Ward 26. And watch out for the disinfectant."

**_Wonderful_**. When the disinfectant came pouring down, I felt Maura's shock. I had to work hard to repress giggles at the sight of her. She was not happy at all. And her internal dialogue is very entertaining and her thought of being a drowned cat is very accurate. Once the doors opened, I grabbed her hand. She had been very quiet the entire trip so far.

"You okay? You've been quiet." She nodded and she felt like she was a bit numb with everything that was happening. _Might have been a tad too much too soon. But I got the call….._

Someone came on over the intercom. "Please report to reception."

I asked a nearby nurse if we could be pointed towards Ward 26 and she decided to escort us personally. I kept up a chatter the entire time. "Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop."

The nurse removed her veil and looked a bit miffed for some reason. "The hospital is a place of healing."

"A shop does some people a world of good. Not me. Other people." I retorted.

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a ifelong vow to help, and to mend."

I felt Maura slip away and I saw her head over to the face of Boe. I had to slip my mind up to multitask. One section kept tabs on Maura and the other started working on the mystery that was this hospital. _No matter how fast civilizations grow, they are always fighting against sickness. These cures are too advanced for this time period._ Now that it has been brought to my attention, I could feel the tiny warning signs in the Time Lines. It was still early. If I could stop whatever it was, it would fix itself.

I managed to get away from the Duke and I saw Maura whisper something to the Face of Boe and he stirred a bit. I walked over.

"Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Our escort asked the nun sitting near Boe.

"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Roe Tyler. Can you ask a reception?" I asked quickly. _Lost…more like getting into trouble. Humans. Every time._

"Certainly, sir." She left.

Novice Hame seemed curious on why we were here. "I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or-"

"We met just the once on Platform One. What's wrong with him?" I walked closer.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying." My mood sobered quickly at that. _I hate endings._

"Of what?"

"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible."

I smiled sadly to myself. "Oh, I don't know. I like impossible." I knelt down next to Maura and put a hand on the glass. "I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me. It's the Doctor."

I could feel Maura's sadness, but it wasn't as sad as I'd thought it would be when faced with death. **_Eventually, you will be with Ianto. But not today._**

As sad as this is, I couldn't help but let new thoughts take over. _Who's Ianto?_

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, sorry for not updating. I got a PS4 for christmas and Shadow of Mordor so while I was on vacation for a few days with no wifi, I wrote a couple of chapters, but when I got back to a Wi-Fi zone, I may or may not have been killing orcs instead of updating. So...yeah. And then my mom was nagging me about college essays...but whatever.<strong>

**So thanks to those who reviewed, favorited, and followed.**

**I don't own Doctor Who...sadly.**


	10. New Earth 2

_It seems Maura might be a bit more special than I previously thought, but that could wait until later. For now, I'll just keep notes and wait until a time comes to confront her about or it becomes relevant. Until then, I need to focus on this mystery._

Deciding to question Novice Hame a bit, I go and grab some water for her and Maura. Maura took it without question, Hame did not.

"That's very kind. There's no need."

"You're the one working." I pushed it towards her again and this time she took it.

"There's not much to do, just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs."

**_Knowing him, they were probably Beyoncé, Brittney Spears, and wouldn't it be great if he did Wrecking Ball and they thought it was an ancient and wonderful song? Note to self, ask him at some point._**

_Knowing him? _Noting that, I turned my mind back to Hame. "Are we the only visitors?" I gestured to Maura and myself.

Hame shook her head. "The rest of Boe-kind became extinct long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his greatest secret, that he will speak those words only to one like himself."

**_Yana._**

I glanced towards Maura. "What does that mean?"

Hame looked a bit surprised. "It's just a story."

"Tell me the rest."

"It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. To the man without a home. The lonely God."

**_He does have a home, he just doesn't realize it. It's like Sam and Dean Winchester. The Impala is their home which is why Dean always includes the Legos and the scratches and the army men when he has to rebuild it because it's reminders of how they spent their childhood there and later their adult life. The TARDIS is the same. And he's not alone, not truly. He just has to open his eyes and see that._**

_What?! WHAT?! How…..She….Leave it Doctor, move on for the moment._

Since Rose still hadn't shown up, I decided to just call her. _Ungh, domestic._ "Rose, where are you?"

"Er, wotcha."

"Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward 26?"

"I'm on my way governor. I shall proceed up the apples and pears." _Something's up._

"You'll never guess." I say with fake enthusiasm. "I'm with the Face of Boe. Remember him?"

"Of course I do. That big old Boat race." _Something is definitely up._

I noticed the Duke at this point. "I'd better go. See you in a minute." I hung up and walked towards him.

"Didn't think I was going to make it. It's that man again! He's my good luck charm. Come in. Don't be shy." He said. He was completely cured. They_ had said, but I didn't think it would actually….._

_"_Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract." His assistant said. _Well, I guess I'm now friends with the Duke of Manhatten._

"Winch me up. Up! Look at me. No sign of infection." _Yes, I can see that._

"Champagne, sir?" A waiter asked.

I turned him down. "No, thanks. You had Petrifold Regression, right?"

"That being the operative word. Past tense. Completely cured."

"But that's impossible." I told him.

"Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science." A nearby nurse stated.

"How on Earth did you cure him?" _It isn't possible! It shouldn't be possible!_

"How on New Earth, you might say." The nurse retorted.

I saw the intravenous solution. "What's in that solution?"

"A simple remedy."

"Then tell me what it is." I demanded.

"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp."

"I'm the Doctor." _And I will find what you are hiding since you seem to be in charge._

"I think you'll find that we're the doctors here."

Another nurse showed up. "Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care."

"If you would excuse me." She walked off. _I need to figure this out and I need to figure it out now. Once I find Rose and figure out what's wrong with her – though it's probably a human thing - and keep tabs on Maura._

I started walking around the other cubicles. I could feel Maura starting to doze off a bit. Unfortunately, I felt I couldn't afford her much privacy anymore until I figure out what her thoughts mean and insure she is alright. Young Time Lords can be prone to insanity and I really hope that it isn't a warning sign.

Finally, Rose showed up. "There you are. Come and look at this patient." I dragged her over. "Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it. They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one." I dragged her to the next cubical. "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine. I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this. Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it."

"What's, what's, what's with the voice?" My mind had turned to mainly the problem here at the hospital.

"Oh, I don't know. Just larking about. New Earth, new me." _Maybe it is a human thing and I'm worrying for nothing._

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor."

"Mmm, aren't you just-" She grabbed my tie and kissed me. My mind shut down a bit. _Yeah, human thing._

"Terminal's this way." She said a bit breathless and stumbled off.

"Yep. Still got it."

* * *

><p><strong>Guess who now only has build season and scholarship essays left! Yeah, so I'll be updating a bit more often again, though school is starting back mon...ungh.<strong>

**Oh, and I don't own Doctor Who.**


	11. New Earth 3

As Rose was walking away, I turned back to Maura. I mentally debated having her come along or not, but eventually, I couldn't let her leave my sight. I wanted to keep tabs on her. "Come on."

Turns out I was right to have her along, as we both got knocked out by Cassandra. As I woke up, I could feel Maura getting scared, but she still felt a bit dazed as if she couldn't believe it was real. That was not good. I grabbed her hand while I tried my best to get us out. But it seems as if luck is a big factor in this regeneration as we got out in the nick of time.

Unfortunately, it lead to us getting cornered by the Flesh. _Really, what is the fascination with slaves? I've never understood it, even from our history._

"We're trapped! What am I going to do?" Cassandra cried.

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body. That psycograft is banned on every civilized planet. You're compressing Rose to death."

"But I've got nowhere to go. My original skin's dead."

"Not my problem. You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out. Give her back to me." _I don't have time to deal with a selfish ape._

"You asked for it." I felt her start to press into my mind and quickly blocked it off. She might be in control, but I could take the reins back at any time. During this time, I paid attention to what was happening out there.

"Blimey, my head. Where'd she go?" Rose asked. Maura pointed towards me.

I felt my mouth move without me giving the order. It was weird. "Oh, my. This is different."

"Cassandra?" Rose seemed a bit shocked.

"Goodness me, I'm a man. Yum. So many parts. And hardly used. Oh, oh, two hearts!" She started dancing in time. "Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!" _This is humiliating!_

"Get out of him." _Rose, I can take it!_

"Oo, he's slim, and a bit foxy. You've thought so too. I've been inside your head. You've been looking. You like it." _Really?!_

I saw the Flesh catching up, meaning Cassandra saw them too. "What do we do? What would he do?" Cassandra frantically exclaimed. "The Doctor, what the hell would he do?"

"Ladder. We've got to get up." Rose started to lead the way but Cassandra plowed her way through.

"Out of the way, blondies!" _I swear, Cassandra, you're getting on my last nerves. My patience hasn't been tested like this since my children decided to redecorate the kitchen._ We got stuck at the top of the ladder as the doors were locked.

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something." Rose shouted up.

I decided against taking over unless it was an absolute emergency. Hopefully, this would force her to go somewhere else.

"Yap, yap, yap. God, it was tedious inside your head. Hormone city." _She's a young human female, of course it was going to be hormone city. Just because you're too stuck up to remember those days…though let's be honest. You're husbands were probably bribed to deal with you._

"We're going to die if-" A nun grabbed Rose's ankle. "Get off!" She shouted.

"All of our good work. All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything."

"Oh, go and play with a ball of string." Cassandra retorted.

"Everywhere, disease. This is the human world. Sickness!" The nun hissed. Finally, Rose got her off, but the nun fell to her death after being touched by the Flesh.

"Move!" Rose shouted.

They packed as far as they could at the top. "Now what do we do?" Cassandra shouted back down.

"Use the sonic screwdriver."

Cassandra grabbed the sonic and held it precariously. "You mean this thing?" _I swear to Rassilon, Cassandra, if you drop that…_

"Yes, I mean that thing."

"Well, I don't know how. The Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts." _*snort* Of course I did; my head, my rules._

"Well, then just get out for a bit so he can do something!"_ Finally a rational idea._

Cassandra huffed, but did as Rose suggested. But instead of floating as atoms in the air, she went into Maura.

That was not okay.

That was nowhere near the realm of okay.

I could feel her pain as she was mentally invaded. "Cassandra! Get out of her! Now!" I funneled the Oncoming Storm into my voice and my gaze. One way or another, Cassandra would leave. However, it seemed as if Maura was fighting back as well for Cassandra quickly left to go into one of the Flesh. I watched Maura slump in relief and could feel the damage she had done. She looked up and saw me watching and waved me off. I left it for now.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I look disgusting." Cassandra cried out.

I quickly opened the elevator and Rose and Maura followed. I grabbed Maura's hand and started closing the doors.

"No, you don't." Cassandra flew back into Rose. She slumped into a sitting position.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!" She sat there and stared off into space sadly.

"Inside her head. They're so alone. They keep reaching out, just to hold us. All their lives and they've never been touched." I couldn't help but be softened by her epiphany. I held out my other hand and dragged them back to Ward 26.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello peeps. Nothing says welcome back to school like lots of homework on top of build season. yay...so expect an update about 2-3 times during the school week and at least once during the weekend.<strong>

**Thanks to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited.**

**I don't own Doctor Who.**


	12. New Earth 4

We were stopped outside the entrance by a hoard of terrified humans and one who had a chair up as if she planned on taking on a lion at a circus in the old Disney cartoons. Quickly, I swept Maura behind me and stuck my hands out in surrender. "We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look."

"Show me your skin." She demanded. We all quickly obliged further.

"Look, clean. If we'd been touched, we'd be dead." Finally, she allowed us in. "So how's it going up here? What's the status?"

She tapped away on her pad. "There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine. If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."

"You can't do that! If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine!" _And thus allowing one of the Flesh to get out and infect the entire city and quickly move through the rest of the world and potentially, the rest of the universe._

"I'm not dying in here!" _HUMANS!_

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out. There is ten million people in that city. They'd all be at risk." I tried to reason. "Now, turn that off!"

"Not if it gets me out!"

"Alright, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Rose, Novice Hame, everyone! – Except you Maura. Excuse me, your Grace. Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" Everyone scrambled to get me the bags and I slung them on a piece of rope I wrapped around myself with one hand while I kept Maura near me with the other. Though her thoughts about how I managed to do so were amusing, I couldn't help but worry about her still. "How's that? Will it do?"

"I don't know. Will it do for what?" Cassandra asked. **_Oh, Cassandra, it's not that difficult to make the jump._**

_For people who don't have the training, yes it is. How did you know? Just another thing to add. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to put my next actions under too dangerous._

I went over and opened the elevator doors and looked at Maura. "I need you to stay here and not leave this room until I get back, okay? It's really important." I could see she wanted to argue, but she conceded and went over to the Face of Boe. I heard her whisper "Hello Jack." More questions than answers seem to pop up around her it seems.

"The lifts aren't working." Cassandra commented.

"Not moving. Different thing. Here we go." I put the sonic between my teeth, back up a bit, and ran towards the shaft.

"But you're not going to-" I jumped and grabbed the cable halfway through Cassandra's incredulity. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm going down! Come on!" I attached a pulley set normally used in zip-lines to the cable.

"Not in a million years."

"I need another pair of hands. What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive, why don't you live a little?"

"Seal the door!" The secretary shouted. _Maura is safe and now I'm guaranteed she can't move from her spot._

Seeing that she didn't have much of a choice now, with the Flesh coming, Cassandra shouted, "No!" and jumped on my back. "You're completely mad. I can see why she likes you."

"Going down!" I let the wheel loose and we zoomed down. Cassandra screamed the whole time. As soon as I saw the bottom rushing towards us, I put on the brake so we came to a gentle stop on top of the lift.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight."

"Now, listen. When I say so, take hold of that lever." I sonicked the system to comply with what I wanted.

"There's still a quarantine down there, we can't-" _I don't have time for this!_

"Hold that lever! I'm cooking up a cocktail. I know a bit about medicine myself." I shouted at her while pouring all the cures into the disinfectant tank. "Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position. Hold onto it with everything you've got."

"What about you?"

"I've got an appointment. The Doctor is in." I dropped down in to the lift and sonicked the doors open. "I'm in here! Come on!"

"Don't tell them." Cassandra shouted down.

"Pull that lever!" The Flesh started to shuffle towards me. "Come and get me. Come on! I'm in here! Come on!"

"Commence stage one disinfection."

"Hurry up! Come on!" I got drenched in the disinfectant and cure solution. "Come on, come on." The first bit of the Flesh came up and got drenched as well. I saw them get healed and I couldn't help but get more excited. "All they want to do is pass it on. Pass it on!" I shouted.

"Pass on what? Pass on what?" Cassandra asked confusedly.

"Pass it on!" I was jumping up and down at this point. Eventually, all of the Flesh were cured and they just sat or stood in place meekly.

"What did they pass on? Did you kill them? All of them?" Cassandra asked excitedly.

I scowled. "No. That's your way of doing things. I'm the Doctor, and I cured them." A woman came up and hugged me and I hugged her back. "That's right. Hey, there we go, sweetheart. Go to him. Go on, that's it. That's it." I sent her on "It's a new sub-species, Cassandra. A brand new form of life. New humans! Look at them. Look! Grown by cats, kept in the dark, fed by tubes, but completely, completely alive. You can't deny them, because you helped create them. The human race just keeps on going, keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!"

After the quarantine was lifted, Cassandra and I headed back to Ward 26. I could feel Maura's exhaustedness. **_Okay, definitely right about the nap._** I couldn't help but smirk at that. Maybe now she'll be slightly more likely to listen to me.

I walked up. "The Face of Boe! You were supposed to be dying."

"There are better things to do today. Dying can wait." He said back.

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face." Cassandra whined. I shushed her.

"I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew." Boe continued.

"There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old."

"There are? That would be impossible." He seemed amused at that.

"Wouldn't it just. I got the impression there was something you wanted to tell me." I prompted.

"A great secret."

"So the legend says." _Trying to get you to work with me here Boe._

"It can wait." _What?_

"Oh, does it have to?" _I don't want to wait….._

"We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time, for the last time, and the truth shall be told. Until that day-" On that note, he teleported away.

I was left standing there. "That is enigmatic. That, that is, that is textbook enigmatic." I turned to Cassandra. "And now for you."

"But everything's happy. Everything's fine. Can't you just leave me?"

"You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra." I commanded.

"I don't want to die." She said.

"No one does."

"Help me." She pleaded.

"I can't."

"Mistress!" This clone came up.

"Oh, you're alive." Cassandra said uncaring.

"I kept myself safe for you, mistress." _Don't give her ideas, she doesn't need those._

"A body. And not just that, a volunteer." Cassandra mused.

"Don't you dare! He's got a life of his own." I tried to head her thoughts off.

"But I worship the mistress. I welcome her." The clone said.

"You can't, Cassandra, you-" She ignored me and went into the clone, causing Rose to collapse from being compressed almost too long. I rushed to catch her. "Oh! You all right?" Rose nodded a bit and tried to stand on her own, but her legs failed her as I caught her again. "Whoa! Okay?"

"Yeah. Hello!" She smiled up at me.

I smiled back. "Hello. Welcome back."

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle." Of course Cassandra had to ruin the moment.

"You can't stay in there. I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done."

"Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat, but I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much. His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last-" Cassandra fell to her knees and I raced over.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Cassandra said, holding her chest. "I'm dying, but that's fine."

"I can take you to the city." I offered.

"No, you won't. Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good."

"Come on. There's one last thing I can do." Rose and I went back and grabbed a sleepy Maura between us. **_It's a conspiracy. _**I chuckled a bit at that as our ragged-tag bunch went back to the TARDIS. After we dropped Cassandra off, I led Maura to her room. Before she could protest, I picked her up and tucked her in. Seeing that she was trying to stay awake long enough to protest, I quickly quieted her. "Shhh, we can talk when you wake up." _And you can complain all you want then._ She glared at me a bit before closing her eyes and flopping back in the hammock. I'm not entirely sure how she did that without flipping out.

**_I am not going to sleep because you want me to, I'm doing it because I'm tired and your decisions have no impact on mine!_**

I couldn't help but smirk at that as I walked out.

_Whatever makes you feel better, little Time Tot, whatever makes you feel better._

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks to those who reviewed, favorited, and followed.<strong>

**I don't own Doctor Who.**


	13. Talking

I walked back to the console room where Rose was. She looked a bit ragged and I really wanted to double check that Cassandra hadn't done anything irreversible. I whipped out my sonic and did a quick scan.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Double checking."

She rolled her eyes and embraced me. "I'm fine."

"Yes, and this is me double checking." The scan finished and I looked at the results. "Alright, so your fine."

Rose smirked, "Told you." She paused. "Maura sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm going to follow her example and get some shut eye." She head towards her room.

"Humans and their endless need for sleep." I rolled my eyes.

"I heard that!" Rose shouted back.

"Well it's true!" I retorted. I wasn't whining, really.

The TARDIS informed me when Rose reached her room and I leaned against the railing, my thoughts drifting to Maura. I replayed many instances back through my mind

_It seems, almost, as if she's picking up on specifics of people's timelines, but the only time we have even the slightest chance of doing that is after we look into the Untempered Schism, which – if I'm right – she couldn't have seen. Not with the age that she would have had to been taken away from Gallifrey to have her not remember._

_Of course, there is always the time insanity factor. Best way to slow that is extensive mental training from a young age and a constant look-out for symptoms._

_Or she could just be extra-sensitive to the Time Lines. Which again, means a bit more mind training than the usual Gallifreyan._

_And we can't have another Cassandra incident….._

_….It seems that we'll have to start working on mind exercises immediately. I'll have to break out a version of the Zero-room to help accelerate the process along. I just hopes she provides a good time to slide it in passing instead of me randomly coming out and saying, "Do you want to have telepathy lessons?" and hope she doesn't freak. Growing up with humans means she would have picked up on their behavior patterns and humans, in general, tend to shy away from anything that could take their privacy – especially when it comes to telepathy. I don't even know how much she knows about her abilities._

Here, I felt a small tug meaning Maura was waking up. Remembering she hadn't eaten, I go to the kitchen and start planning the conversation.

She walked in as I finished a few pieces of bacon and toast and got the ingredients out for eggs.

"Where's Rose?" She asked.

"Asleep."

"What are you doing?"

I raised an eyebrow at that. _Isn't it obvious?_ "Making you breakfast."

She paused. "You're not going to eat?"

"I will. How do you like your eggs?"

"Scrambled." She sat at the table in the corner and watched me as I worked to not burn our food.

"So, what do you think about yesterday?" I prompted.

She thought for a minute and answered. "It was weird….but cool."

I waited for her to continue before realizing that if I wanted any kind of conversation, I was going to have to work for it. "Nothing else. Just 'it was weird, but cool?'" She nodded while I filled two plates. "I saw you sat with the Face of Boe for a bit." She nodded again as I slid her plate to her with a fork and butter knife. "Did you have an interesting conversation?" She shrugged and nibbled on toast. My mind quickly analyzed her every movement. "What'd you talk about?"

"Stuff." _Picked up on bad human habits, I see._

"Did this stuff include why you called him Jack?" I gently pressed.

She froze for a split second before shrugging. I filed it away. "He seemed more like a Jack."

"And who's Ianto?" I asked, curious.

Again with the shrugging! "Someone he missed."

_I think that's all I'm getting for that._ "How are you dealing with being a Time Lord?"

She shrugged. "Ok, I guess."

"You do a lot of shrugging." My eyes quickly noticed every muscle tick and my brain pieced together the available facts to fill a small portion of the picture that was Maura Outisson.

"So?" _Just became extremely self-conscious implying low self-esteem, bullied, and anything from a need to not show weakness to a need to prove herself to others._

I decided to back off a bit. "So nothing, I was merely making a comment."

"No, you were trying to get me to offer more information." _Sharp as always._

"I'm just trying to make conversation." I finished eating and Maura went back to poking at her food. "How are you – **really** – after Cassandra's attack on you?"

She glanced up. "Okay. It hurt though."

"Yes, trying to block an attack through instinct only can be painful." _This seems like as good a time….right?" _How….How would you feel about learning how to build a basic shield around your mind. Just…Just in case should you ever need it."

She paused. "What would it entail?" She uncomfortably asked.

I tried to allay her fears. "We would spend a little of every day going through some exercises where I would verbally walk you through a basic wall construction until you felt comfortable enough to try blocking a small intrusion."

She considered the offer before tentatively agreeing. "When would we start?"

"If you're up for it, we could work on it after you finish eating and stopped playing with your food."

She huffed a bit at that, but did as I asked and took a bite of her eggs instead of pushing them around on her plate. _This is going to be another long day. I can feel it._

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><p><strong>Yeah, so school sucks. If you didn't know that, now you do. And last year's seniors are such liars. They were like, "Senior year is so easy" NO IT AIN'T! So many essays...so...many. All for stinking scholarship money I may (most likely not) use...stupid senior year.<strong>

**Right, well thanks to those who reviewed commented and favorited :D:D:D**

**I still don't own Doctor Who. That hasn't changed. Should it ever change, trust me, ya'll be the first to know.**


	14. Lessons!

I finished eating quickly while Maura just poked at her food. She managed about half of before she pushed it away. I wasn't happy about how little she got down, but didn't comment as she did try.

"Follow me. There is a great room we can do this in." I walked out and lead the way to the telepathy room. I put my hand on the sweet spot and gave the mental command to open the door. As the door swung back I motioned for her to go in. As she walked in, I felt her nervousness increase. The room is rather intimidating and feels wrong in general so I was expecting it. She glanced back, unsure of what to do so I motioned to a stool. I explained the room to her as she followed my instructions. "This room removes all outside interference: sound, sight, smell, and telepathy with anyone not in the room. It allows for focus to be easily achieved for beginners."

**_That makes sense. But I really don't want to be in here alone, hence the second stool I assume. I'd bet no one would want to be in here alone. It's weird….like it _****feels****_ weird._**

I shut the door and sat on the stool, mentally cataloguing her musings automatically. "I'm going to turn the lights of now, okay?" She nodded her consent and I gave a mental command for the lights to turn off. As soon as they did, I could hear her breathing hitch as her panic increased. "Now, focus on your breathing. Feel the air going in and out." I sent mental waves of calm until she managed to keep a calm state by herself. After she achieved that, I walked her through a basic exercise for obtaining a clear mental image. As she held that state, I turned the lights back on so I could see her reactions.

As I told her the basics of creating a mental wall, I kept note of every twitch of her face as she concentrated on keeping it up. I could both see and feel when her shoddy walls came crashing down.

"Ow." Maura rubbed her head and opened her eyes only to shut them again against the glare of the light.

"Sorry." I dimmed them. "You can open your eyes now." I waited till she complied before continuing. "You did pretty well for your first time." _However, you are at the developmental stage of a 3 year old Time Tot. We have a lot to do._ "Unfortunately, I can't do anything to help with the headache. Meds would ruin what you have accomplished and attempting to try a mind over matter technique would make it worse."

"Wonderful." She groaned. "How long have we been here?"

_More open when in pain. Definitely points to barriers she keeps up around everyone. Those will be fun to tear down, but I wonder what put them there in the first place._ "About two hours. Rose won't be awake for a while. Humans tend to sleep a lot. They're like cats. If you want to try and sleep it off, you won't be missing much of anything."

"Mkay. I'll go do that." She stumbled out and I noted when she managed to fall into a light doze which quickly turned into sleep.

_More willing to listen to me when in pain too. Another defense mechanism perhaps? Or does she only feel like she should be defiant? Or has she just picked up on bad human habits. Humans have a lot of those…._

I mused on the puzzle as I went to fiddle with Sexy's circuitry.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the shortness, but I'm writing a research paper at the moment. Longer chapter will be up probably on Friday sometime.<strong>

**Thanks to those who reviewed, favorited, and followed.**

**Still don't own Doctor Who**


	15. Right before Tooth and Claw

I paid more attention to the bond once Maura woke up. She still had a headache and it felt really painful. I felt her try to focus in and felt her shock as she started to realize how much she could sense when she felt like it. I made a mental note to work on that as well. I continued playing with Sexy's wiring as she came closer. I asked, "Headache gone?" when she walked in. I wanted to see how she would respond.

"Yeah." She lied through her teeth.

"Really?" I pressed.

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Positive." She kept with her original answer. _Persistent. But how stubborn?_

"Because your squinting a bit, have a pained expression, and as good as you might be at ignoring it, you still acknowledge it." I quickly observed.

She glared and went into a defensive position. "It's fine."

_Time to flesh out more traits and try to correct these insecurities._ "Maura, it's okay to ask for help or to admit you're not okay." She stayed silent and didn't look at me, but I knew I had her attention. "It doesn't make you weak or less of a person."

I noticed her emotional turmoil. **_Stupid Time Lords and their stupid need to deduce. _**_Noted._ "Why do you care?" She almost spit out.

"Because I care and worry about you." I answered honestly. I couldn't afford to have any doubt on this.

"So, basically the bond makes you care."

_Where did this come from?! Was she thinking this the whole time?!_ "The bond is just a tool! It helps out parents in keeping an eye on their children in a society where they can be taken advantage of more than in a human environment. An unprotected mind is susceptible to being controlled to do anything, say anything, or be anything. The bond allows for parents to know when something is wrong while the kids learn how to protect their minds so that if such a thing ever happened, they could pick up on it. It has no bearing on the true emotions of the parent. If they already care for the child then it enhances it and if they don't care, it can help dim emotions so the parent is more willing to help in great times of need. As I truly care about you, the bond just helps enhance it. And how could I not? You're kind and intelligent and beautiful and a wonderful, important person. The bond doesn't change that."

After my little rant, she stood there and blushed in silence, still not looking up at me, but I knew she had listened and maybe, just maybe took in a bit of it. _I'm going to have to reinforce this a lot._

Just as the silence was starting to become uncomfortable, Rose walked in. It was easily noticeable that she had recently gotten up.

"Morning." Rose yawned.

"Morning." Maura and I chorused, though Maura's was very subdued.

"We headed out soon?" Rose asked.

"After breakfast." I answered.

"Wonderful." Rose beamed.

**_As much as I like wolves, I'm not fond of being chased by one._**

_What am I supposed to make of that?!_

* * *

><p><strong>Shorty today, but we have been getting a crap ton of snow. Like it started around lunch today and hasn't stopped since so I don't think I'll be able to go anywhere tomorrow. But on an even better note, guessed who finished their research paper :D :D :D <strong>

**...now I just have to do the poster...UUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**

**Yeah s if there's a sudden influx of chapters, I'm procrastinating.**

**If there's a lull, I'm being forced to work under protest.**

**And I still don't own Doctor Who.**


	16. Tooth and Claw

I fed Maura again with Rose in an attempt to make her stomach able to handle larger quantities of food and she glared at me the whole time. I ignored her. Once they finished, Maura and I headed to the console room while Rose got ready. We sat there in an awkward silence and just as I was about to attempt some kind of conversation Rose showed up.

"Where are we headed?" She asked.

"How about 20th century?" I responded.

Rose looked down at what she was wearing. "What do you think of this? Will it do?"

"In the late 1970s? You'd be better off in a bin bag. Hold on, listen to this." I put in a CD. "Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Number One in 1979."

"Yeah….never heard of 'em." I heard from Maura for once. And I didn't even have to prompt her.

Then it registered what she said and I stood, with mouth agape, as Rose and I spluttered out, "Never?!"

"No. I know the Beastie Boys, Ozzy, Pink Floyd, Guns 'n Roses, and quite a few other late '70s and '80s bands thanks to my dad, but not once have I heard of an Ian Dury."

_First time she's mentioned her parents since I picked her up. She knew her dad well enough to know what music he liked. But I can bring it up later._

"Right." I said. "That settles it. We're going to a concert. Hold on tight." I did my thing.

Rose shouted "Stop!" and we landed abruptly. I got up from where I was thrown and immediately started rattling off facts about the time.

"1979. Hel-eck of a year. China invades Vietnam. The Muppet Movie. Love that film. Margaret Thatcher. Urgh. Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me. Nearly took off my thumb." I lead the way outside, absent mindedly. "And I like my thumb. I need my thumb. I'm very attached to" I looked up and noticed we were not in 1979 and we had guns pointed at us. Yipee. "My thumb. 1879. Same difference."

The head boy commanded "You will explain your presence. And the nakedness of this girl and the lack of propriety in the other."

**_Haha! Go long sleeves and jeans! I only got a "lack of propriety." Screw social norms. Never go anywhere if we followed them all the time. Would never be interesting._**

Noting that we were in Scotland, I quickly switched my accent to fit. "Are we in Scotland?" For some reason Maura was unnerved and it wasn't making me happy.

"How can you be ignorant of that?"

I glanced around and tried to figure out what was causing her distress while keeping us from getting shot at. "Oh, I'm, I'm dazed and confused. I've been chasing this, this wee naked child over hill and over dale and arguing with this 'un over her rebellious nature."

"Och, aye! I've been oot and aboot." Rose attempted to follow my lead atrociously.

"No, don't do that." I muttered to her. Maura stood there and giggled a bit, and since I couldn't find anything, decided her getting spooked could be dealt with later.

"Hoots mon." Rose continued.

"No, really don't." I stressed. "Really."

"Will you identify yourself, sir?" The Head boy asked impatiently.

I made something up. "I'm Doctor James McCrimmon, from the township of Balamory. I have my credentials, if I may?" I waited for a nod before whipping out the psychic paper. "As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself."

"Let them approach." Someone said from the carriage.

"I don't think that's wise ma'am."

"Let them approach." She demanded again…..whoever _she_ was.

And whoever she was, she had enough authority to get Head boy to back down. "You will approach the carriage, and show all du deference." He motioned to a footman and they opened the door to reveal the Queen.

"Maura, Rose might I introduce her Majesty Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith."

Maura bowed and Rose curtsied. "Rose Tyler, Ma'am. And my apologies for being so naked."

"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me. But you, Doctor. Show me these credentials." I handed her the psychic paper. She glanced at it before exclaiming, "Why didn't you say so immediately? It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector."

_Does it really?_ "Does it?" I glanced down at it. "Yes, it does. Good. Good. Then let me ask – why if Your Majesty travelling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"

"A tree on the line." She answered.

"An accident?" I wanted to be sure.

"I am the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned."

"An assassination attempt?" I confirmed. **_Well, duh. Politics haven't changed and probably won't change. Easiest way to shake the system, take out the head and watch the neck flounder as it attempts to fill the hole quickly._** Once again, I decided I could find out why she knows that later. As far as I know, there is no good way she can know that. Time Lord raised human or not, very few figure that out without personal experience. As I came out of my thoughts, it seemed as if they had moved on as Head boy was speaking now.

"Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence. We've sent word ahead. He'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow."

I quickly ran what I missed through my mind and it was just Rose's shock and the queens answer to it. So, nothing important.

"This Doctor and his timorous and rebellious beasties will come with us." The Queen said.

"Yes, Ma'am. We'd better get moving – it's almost nightfall."

"Indeed." The Queen nodded. "And there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales intended to scare the children. But good for the blood, I think. Drive on!"

The carriage headed off to continue its journey and we were left to follow behind. Though now I'm curious about these mentions of wolves. Maura thought something about being chased by one. Did she get a glimpse of a Time Line and not notice?

Rose piped up not long after we started walking. "It's funny though, because you say assassination and you just think of Kennedy and stuff. Not her."

"Well, it's nice to know that our president's death is important enough to teach even over here. Though I think of ninja's and Abraham Lincoln for assassinations if only because there are some very interesting ghost tales about Lincoln's," Maura commented.

I rolled my eyes at both of them. "1879?" She's had, oh, six attempts on her life? And I'll tell you something else. We just met Queen Victoria!"

"I know!" Maura deadpanned while Rose was practically bursting with excitement. _Well, it's more interaction than New Earth, so I'll count it as a promotion._

"What a laugh!" I barked.

"She was just sitting there." Rose continued.

"Like a stamp I confirmed. **_Like a stamp? I'm confused – please explain, Doc._**_ Later….note to self. Explain basic British customs to Maura._

"I want her to say I am not amused. I bet you both five quid I can make her say it." Rose was pumped up. **_That won't end well. _**_How?_

"Well, if I gambled on that, it'd be an abuse of my privileges of traveler in time." I said. **_Says the guy who accidentally created the banana daiquiri a century and a half early._**_ When did I do that?_

"Ten quid?" Rose upped the stakes. **_Still won't end well._**

_I could take that and prove Maura wrong at the same time._ "Done." We shook on it. **_REALLY?_** I worked hard at keeping my amusement down. Something tells me she wouldn't have appreciated it.

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><p><strong>Thanks to those who reviewed, favorited, and followed. Just got into Broadchurch yesterday and I'm really miffed that the US won't be showing off season 2 until March. MARCH! WTF AMERICA?!<strong>

**Speaking of Broadchurch, yeah, I was supposed to be working on homework but Netflix called to me...and I figured why not, it had been showing up in my queue for like a year now and I figured why not and watched the first episode and was hooked...**

**So if you need a new guilty pleasure, I recommend Broadchurch.**

**Oh, still don't own Doctor Who...unfortunately... :(**


	17. Tooth and Claw 2

Eventually, we made it to the Torchwood Estate.

A man came out to greet us as the Queen got out of the carriage.

"Sir Robert. My apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?" The Queen asked.

"She's indisposed, I'm afraid. She's gone to Edinburgh for the season. And she's taken the cook with her. The kitchens are barely stocked. I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on." Sir Robert answered.

"Oh, not at all. I've had quite enough carriage exercise." **_Carriage exercise? Carriage exercise?! SERIOUSLY?!_** I worked hard at keeping my amusement at Maura's thoughts to myself. The Queen continued, "And this is charming, if rustic. It's my first visit to this house. My late husband spoke of it often. The Torchwood Estate. Now, shall we go inside? And please excuse the girls."

"Sorry." Rose apologized. **_Rose quit apologizing, they can take us as is or deal with it otherwise. _**_Very American in her ideals…._

I pointed at Rose, "She's a feral child. I bought her for sixpence in old London Town. It was her or the Elephant man, so-"

Rose cut me off. "Thinks he's funny but I'm so not amused. What do you think, Ma'am?" Maura rolled her eyes at that.

"It hardly matters." The Queen replied. "Shall we proceed?"

"So close." Rose muttered. **_No you weren't._**_ How could you know….?_

Victoria led the way inside and as she did so, the Captain gave orders out for some property to be brought inside.

"So, what's in there, then?" I asked, curiously.

"Property of the Crown." Was my answer. "You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir." **_Really, head honcho dude? _**_Head honcho dude?** You expect the **_**Doctor _to ignore that especially when you just told him to?_**_ Oi!_ The Captain continued despite Maura's comments and my comments to her comments. "The rest of you go to the rear of the house. Assume your designated positions."

We followed the Queen to an observatory where there was a beautiful telescope. She stated to admire it. "This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour."

"All of my father's work. Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself." Sir Robert commented.

I stepped forward. "I wish I'd met him. I like him. That thing's beautiful. Can I?" I reached an arm out to it, and looked at Sir Robot for permission. Rose kept nagging me about how I'm supposed to _ask_ first before doing something with it. Humans.

"Help yourself."

"What did he model it on?" I asked while examining it closer. It didn't look like any telescope I had seen for this time period.

"I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little, shall we say, eccentric. I wish not I'd spent more time with him and listened to his stories." Sir Robert reminisced.

"It's a bit rubbish. How many prisms has it got? Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top. That's stupid kind of….." I noticed the looks everyone was giving me. "Am I being rude again?" I asked Rose and Maura.

"Yep." Rose answered while Maura nodded.

"But it's pretty." I spit out quickly. "It's very pretty." That last thing I need are a bunch of offended humans with power.

"And the imagination of it should be applauded." The Queen slid out. **_Oooooo, the Queen approves, can't say anything now._** I kept my smirks to myself.

"Mmm. Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty." Rose tried to prompt Victoria. "Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, or something? No?"

I rolled my eyes at the pitiful attempt.

"This device surveys the infinite work of God. What could be finer? Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales." The Queen said, a tad annoyed.

I was impressed with her little speech though. "Stars and magic. I like him more and more." **_Only for the stars, Doctor…_**

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company. Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg." The Queen continued.

"That's Bavaria." I murmured for Rose and Maura's benefit, though I'm not sure how much European geography Maura knows beyond the countries and major cities like London, Paris, Berlin, etc.

"When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported." The Queen told Sir Robert directly. He fidgeted a bit. This was also another time I've heard about this wolf.

"So, what's this wolf, then?" I asked.

"It's just a story." Sir Robert answered. He looked uncomfortable. **_No, it's not._**

I glanced at Maura as I commanded, "Then tell it."

"It's said that-" Robert started, but he was interrupted by a servant.

"Excuse me, sir. Perhaps he Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark." It was weird, it seemed as though the servant was almost commanding it.

"Of course. Yes, of course." Sir Robert answered. Again, it was like the servant was actually in charge.

"And then supper." The Queen commanded. **_Well someone is hungry, but I guess as Queen she can do as she pleases when she pleases._** "And could we find some clothes for Miss Tyler? I'm tired of nakedness." **_Well, at least there was no comment about me._**

Rose was about to say something, but Maura cut her off and offered to go with her.

"Sir Robert, your wife must have left some clothes. See to it." Sir Robert nodded at the Queen's demand. "We shall dine at seven, and talk some more of this wolf. After all, there is a full moon tonight." The Queen sounded excited.

"So there is Ma'am." Sir Robert agreed.

Sir Robert led Maura and Rose to get dresses while we were led to the smaller of the dining halls.

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><p><strong>Here it is. Only one more chapter before this will be caught up with I'm Human, I Swear. At that point, they will be updated simultaneously so that one won't spoil the other, though you guys might sometimes be able to guess how it might go based on inner thoughts an musings.<strong>

**Thanks to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited :)**

**I don't own Doctor Who.**


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